Discuss the topic with Igor Bartizan Director of the Institute of state service and administration of Russian presidential Academy of national economy and state service under the RF President.
the Internet is full of all sorts of instructive and humorous pictures, anecdotes and incidents of the remote interaction of students and professors. When this refrain we hear about the coming future, a new reality, to which we have to adapt. This the future dreamed representatives of the University community?
Igor Bartsits: I’m Afraid to disappoint you: no, we were not in the future. We just this to think about how to survive the present. It seems that many perceive the events as some kind of computer game. The game perception is, on the one hand, salvation of the psyche from the growing negativity on the other – the result of the fact that for the vast majority (with the exception of power attempting to mobilize the country to combat the pandemic, doctors and epidemiologists who are ill and their relatives) occurring is in the nature of television broadcasting and gives rise to exercises in wit. Let’s be honest: neither experts nor ordinary people not yet realize the implications of what is happening. One thing is clear – this is not a game! For example, who not only repeated these days nonsense about the Chinese sign, which also means “crisis” and “opportunity”. In a cruel twist of economic fate of the country, who invented this character in which started the pandemic, the crisis is an opportunity. For all other countries what is happening – the strongest blow. There is such common practice – every self-respecting University is obliged to prescribe in the Charter abstracts about his mission. I must admit, always with a smile and treated it pompously demand. The mission of universities (academies) seems unchanged from the time of Aristotle and Bologna. This time I’m ready to talk about the role of universities in such high style: if anything, we now have a mission.
why?
Igor Bartsits: If someone’s social mission now is to lie on the couch and watch movies, it is for us professors, it is to teach, safely and on schedule, in a fresh shirt and tie to go online to read lectures, conduct seminars, test tasks, to develop projects. Do it for as long as required by the epidemiological situation. This mission is worthy of public respect.
What is your understanding of the transition to online – is a forced measure and is temporary? But last years we were talking about using Internet technologies in education, about the need to use distance, etc., and here, you get to use.
Igor BA��tzitz: Say more felliniesque “Gradisca” (“help yourself”)! I won’t deny the obvious benefits of online education. This and the provision of a wide choice of educational paths and resources, the creation of a unified educational environment and its scale, increase access to quality education, training in convenient individual schedule. In addition, and this is important, it significantly reduces financial and time costs of the student. University in the classical sense becomes a mediator, expensive and not flexible enough, he begins to compete in various educational Internet platform, successful completion of which, in some cases, preferable diploma or degree obtained in the local Institute.
moreover, universities are losing their monopoly on the provision of educational services. Anyway, he loves to talk the President of Sberbank German Gref, “the principal competitors of the savings Bank are not banks, and technology companies that are building the ecosystem”. Similarly, the principal competitors of universities are not universities, and companies involved in very diversified and free diplomas educational programs, which are becoming greater and greater demand. All of this is true. But with one amendment: standard, ordinary, normal circumstances, when online education is a Supplement to classic education. It is good, even remarkable, that the leading universities in almost two or three days could provide online training and prepared by the professors, and technological support, and content. But this “two big differences” is to provide online education in the face of a looming threat and live online education as a new reality.
do You think that will last?
Igor Bartsits: won’t amuse the Lord our assumptions. Let’s hope that by the fall everything will end. But purchased, albeit not the most positive experience staying with us. We cannot make conclusions as to the education system and for society as a whole.
What it can be insights for the education system?
Igor Bartsits: first, the transition to online realized by mechanical shifting of the forms and practices of classical education in the format of remoting. Thus was fulfilled a social mission of supporting employment of students and professors, but if we’re talking about systemic change, we are talking about changing forms and content of educational programs. Changing the purpose of the teacher, he / she shall bear the burden not only to transmit knowledge and experience, but also to guide the student in the virtual educational space, to give recommendations for educational platform and learning resources, learning to use them effectively. To accomplish this task, the professors have many things to learn. Secondly, after the passage of the pandemic will need a legal way to resolve all the changes that de facto was introduced in countering it.
In particular: a) must give a clear legal regulation of online education and mechanisms for the provision of educational services in distance, copyright protection and software rights; b) to register new algorithms of trust to the counterparties which provide and accompany the educational process, starting from the verification of students in taking exams to control the discipline and quality of education; C) define a system of financial payments, rules, electronic support, protection of digital profiles of students and graduates; d) to develop a balance of personal freedom and public safety when using digital educational technologies, models, monitoring and control; d) to clarify the status of digital learning platforms and their use. And I want to emphasize – to define the measures of protection of the right to honest information and penalties for fake. “Fake” is one of the clearest words of Newspeak: not true, but not necessarily a lie.
I Agree that for young people the requirement of truth is especially important. But maybe it is only one component of youthful extremism that goes with age?
Igor Bartsits: lately, I spend a certain experiment, ask people of different generations: do you agree with the fact that each person will have a device (or, for example, the software in the gadget), which will signal its owner, whether the truth says to his companion or not? Interesting results: younger than my interviewer, the greater the percentage supporting such a possibility. With all the relativity of truths in the postmodern society a request for the truth grows increasingly valued honest communication, honest information. On the behavior of the authorities, including the Moscow government, it seems that the government took this request on truth and trust.
Back to the universities. What “University” really “professorial” however, when it comes to balance classic living education and cheap online surrogate.
Igor Bartsits: firstly, not ready to support the negative implication that you accompanied the question. Online education is in any case not a “surrogate”, not a substitute for classic, as you put it, living education. This is a Supplement to it. Second, one of the biggest misconceptions that online education is cheaper for universities than the classic, involving direct contact profesSora and the student. Online education is cheaper for the student in the sense that it is not necessary to go to the capital to study in foreign universities, to rent a house, etc. But online education may not be cheap for universities.
And I don’t mean the cost of the technology, platforms, computers, and other “hard and soft”. Yes, it is expensive, but it is on the back of major universities. The main investments today is not technology, but content. I note the high cost of developing online courses. The most simple, basic courses (based on templates) will require 75-85 hours of work in one hour time listener, advanced courses with interactive elements and gamification – up to 500 hours on one hour student. Thus the total transition of all universities to the online education is not possible, it is constrained by objective limitations, many of which are overcome in the process of development of forms and technologies distance.
What limitations do you mean?
Igor Bartsits: First of all, increases information asymmetry in the market of online educational resources: the user hard to choose from the variety of proposals is really high quality programs, to assess their credibility, usefulness, consistency, scientific character, which can lead to wasted time and money. In addition, private providers of online educational services can issue diplomas and certificates of education, which do not correspond to the real skills and competencies and mislead potential employers. Lack of technical capacity (computers, networks and Internet) for online learning for all citizens gives rise to the “digital gaps” and unequal access to educational services. Further, the absence of live communication with the teacher leads to a reduction of the complexity of the transmitted material, reducing the motivation of the student. Without collective interaction of the educational process loses its effectiveness. The need for real communication is so great that students of online courses often organize meetings with each other, working together on any topic and helping to keep involvement and enthusiasm for the process.
to be honest, I was waiting for you check this factor. Talking about finances makes you not “the Professor” and “Director” of the truth. In my opinion, the “professorial” the truth is that the Professor is a person, citizen Nekrasov understanding, man is a carrier of values, transmitted from generation to generation.
Igor Bartsits: do Not argue. Moreover, use your thesis under the influence of digitalization have expanded the scale of reaching people with the process of education. It becomes affordable for almost everyone. In about��line to be admitted to the program, to attend lectures of eminent scientists, professors, go through unique trainings that face to face to get it would just not meant to be. At least because of geographical barriers, borders, and transport costs. University in the new reality will be forced to change. Universities are being transformed into modern ecosystems, in a kind of city-forming enterprises, the centres of socialization and communication of different generations. In this capacity, the University won’t go online. On the contrary, there is a counter-tendencies develop elite Socratic education (small groups led by teacher). Through the use of online technologies, quality education becomes more accessible and cheaper, but elite education becomes more expensive. Getting an elite education where there is direct contact of the student with the Professor, the student and the teacher (preferably without the mask). Noted the counter-tendencies are not unique to education. Thanks to online stores expanding access to quality goods, to prevent direct communication between the seller and buyer. At the same time, luxury shopping accompanied by a petition to the counselor and involves a direct communication with the client. Modern banks replacing of notaries from the scope of registration of transactions and services, but bankers prefer to keep personalized communication with the notary public when dealing with their particular issues.
Responding to the injection of “Director” the truth, reveal the secret (forgive me, the Ministry of science and higher education): if a passionate Professor will go down in the audience with smart students, then I’m not so important, what they will say at the lecture and the seminar (that is, if the Professor strictly follow the working program of the discipline). The University is akin to theatre: the lecture theatre of one actor, workshop – school-Studio project work – interactive theatre. Between lecture in the classroom and lecture online the same difference as between the theatre and watch the same show on television.
Must be clearly understood that online education for traditional universities is a significant, important, but still optional (optional accessory) option. Online education shows significant development potential, flexibility, ability to attract technology from related industries (advertising, psychology, pedagogy, etc.) to create different hybrid forms, including the classical University education, often helping him to improve the quality and efficiency of the educational process.
How do you see the future of online education?
Igor Bartsits: Indeed, agreeing with the role of the individual in the audience and in front of the monitor, it is easier p��izenave that the online format is here to stay, it is important for him to determine the correct and appropriate niche. We are in the Presidential Academy has proposed a set of measures, the main of which, in my opinion, is to develop a software package that will be sold online. Cutting mechanism: on the basis of the existing full-time program (we denote it as the full-time intramural, in your version, the “classic live”) and following the same curriculum, the same curriculum is formed it full-double – full-time program in distance. That is, the entrant, choosing the program of the upcoming hot in all respects in summer, may choose one of two options. However, he may enroll full-time program in distance and after removing the epidemiological limitations to transfer to full-time desktop program.
That is a kind of temporary anti-crisis measure?
Igor Bartsits: Crisis – Yes, but not necessarily – temporary. This mechanism will allow us to offer educational programs for those students from regions of the country, of parents who would not venture this summer to send their child to Moscow. With all due respect to our regional University centres it is impossible to deprive a young person freedom of choice. I really appreciate and love my native Rostov University, but still, 35 years after graduation, remembered the unkind words Festival of youth and students in Moscow 1985, when Metropolitan universities postponed exams in August, depriving me of the opportunity to try your luck. I believe that the format of “full-time distant” for certain groups will be required in the future. For example, at the undergraduate baccalaureate or graduate programs post experience (i.e., who already have practical experience students). No matter how we prevented, but many students in senior courses, especially in grad school, trying to combine study with work, For them and for students from other regions of the country online can be an attractive option. Another issue is that such programs should be done especially carefully, efficiently, finding in them a time and a place for live communication. In a sense, the quality of online continues the policy of reducing inequalities in access to good education for students from regions of foreign countries.
specific question: is there an understanding of how this summer will be the submission of documents by applicants and their selection?
Igor Bartsits: In the formula of the admission campaign variables unknown even more. The Ministry of science and higher education, universities are in search of a receipt format. Prepared in a pilot format to start bound to the website services of the so-called superservis “revenue to te to the University online.” In pilot mode with the participation of 53 leading universities. While there is no definition in the mode of its operation. It is important that we launched this portal as a satellite into space, and not as agriculture in the USSR. I guess justified for the applicants recorded along with the indicated superservis on the sites of universities, attended webinars universities, it will justify the name of the portal of the Federal information system GIA “Do the right thing”.
so you look with optimism to the challenges of this difficult time. Universities lifted the thrown gauntlet?
Igor Bartsits: the Gauntlet we picked up, but the duel still to come: it is scheduled for the summer.
